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George Umberson Honored
The Choir Alumni, under the leadership of Thomas Poole (BME65), succeeded in a goal to raise $50,000 and name the new choral rehearsal space in honor of former director of Choral Activities George Umberson. It is fitting in that the “new” choral space is in fact space that once was used by the choirs, so we come full circle not only in returning to the room’s original uses but also in naming it for one of ENMU’s distinguished leaders in vocal and choral music.
Dr. Umberson had an illustrious career as a conductor, music educator and administrator. His teaching career included positions as director of choral activities at Tucumcari High School, Roswell High School, Pepperdine University, ENMU and Arizona State University. His administrative positions included WTSU and ASU where he served as director of the internationally recognized School of Music for 19 years.
His choirs were selected to perform for regional and national conventions of the American Choral Directors Association and the Music Educators National Conference. He has served as guest conductor, clinician or choral adjudicator in over 40 states, having conducted many all-state choirs and several symphony orchestras. He conducted the ASU Choral Union on four international concert tours to Europe and Australia. He was also invited to Romania where he conducted the Bucharest Symphony and Choral Society and to Hungary and Croatia where he had similar assignments.
